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Raven Audio Nighthawk

So the scuttlbutt on the Raven integrated amps is pretty good. But just how good are they? Are they good when compared to other comparably priced tube integrateds? Or are they better than some heavy hitters?

I currently have a NOSvalves ST-45 amp paired with a Don Sachs Model 2 (latest version) preamp and I am extremely happy with this pairing. With that said, I guess there is nothing really that I'm looking to improve. But since we all know how this game goes, I just wonder how much better (or not) the Blackhawk III would be. Consolidating two pieces down to one chasis is an attractive idea too.

I would love to hear from you if you own a Nighthawk or Blackhawk or have auditioned one against something else. I know they offer a 45 day trial period, but from my calculations if I don't like it it will cost me close to 400.00 out of pocket once the dust settles. So I'd like to go into this with a warm fuzzy that it's pretty darn good.

Oz



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watersidedave's avatar
watersidedave
32 posts
 
I hope to help the person I was talking to first though, if possible.  I am unsure of who he is, and I would really like to make sure that he is taken care of first if that's alright.

I probably should have toned it down a bit, but I was a little surprised at the level of vitriol I was hit with right off.  Maybe it was a bit unprofessional of me.  I will be a bit more er, politically minded next time...  though maybe not in a Texas way....   ;-)
jjss49's avatar
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jjss49
6,612 posts
 
i for one would like to see the thread stay open

folks like dave at raven should have the benefit of the doubt, and it would be nice to see him/raven make a rebound with customers coming back to say all is well, concerns have been addressed and they are happy - dave deserves that - keyboard warriors like us are too far removed from how hard it is to run a small business and hold it all together in these times

there is one ax grinder who has posted it seems, others have posted legit issues on communications and follow up... let’s wait see all this get fixed as they should be


chicagoblue1977's avatar
chicagoblue1977
224 posts
 
my specific comment about texas relating to raven (and not member 'skypunk' and his attempts to sell his used raven amp) is only to say that while texas, like michigan and florida are indeed open for business, their state govermments have made choices that have allowed covid cases to rebound now that new more infectious variants abound, and these are outracing the vaccinations occurring... the implication being that businesses like raven may be 'open' but they are limping badly compared to normal times due to the worsening covid situations in their state

of course i don't know the specifics but that is assertion/supposition i made in my post below


@jjss49 point taken on the impact of COVID on all business across the globe.
BTW Michigan is closed again. It's a real mess there.

I have some family in Austin as well as Dallas and new COVID cases are down and deaths are down state wide. Guess masks and vaccinations are working for now. So I am not sure where you are getting your information on COVID in TX.

Oh and that Raven sold on US Audiomart.

Cheers.



chicagoblue1977's avatar
chicagoblue1977
224 posts
 
@jjss49  Yes you are right. Better for Dave, Ax grinders be darned.
watersidedave's avatar
watersidedave
32 posts
 
Though it is true that we are manned physically by only 1 person in the new Raven Audio facility in Shreveport, others are working FOR Raven in manufacturing elsewhere - all of the time.

We are only down to 3 in the sales department, with James being the only one physically in the office - for good reason.  We are trying to be careful to not contribute to the (worldwide) problem at present because Shreveport has been hit quite ruthlessly in the recent past - including our new Raven Audio facility - twice.  Of course we had to shut down both times and extreme clean it.  We too have had our share of Covid problems, though we are not using this as an excuse for anything.

With the vaccine being so readily available now we all hope things are going to change quite quickly in the very near future.
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